ABOUT
MIHNEA NICOLESCU
A medical professional and university professor based in Bucharest, Romania, Mihnea has published the first Romanian coffee lexicon, with over 150 entries for enthusiasts navigating the language of specialty coffee. Known as "the professor" among his peers, he is dedicated to raising the profile of specialty coffee in Romania through education and competition.
FROM THE LECTURE HALL
TO THE COMPETITION STAGE
Mihnea's coffee journey began when he visited the 2015 London Coffee Festival. He was fascinated by the
similarities between coffee conventions and scientific congresses, and left the show with his first brewer.
Since then, he has competed in the Romanian Aeropress, Ibrik and Brewers Cup Championships, claiming the
Brewers Cup title in 2026.
He competes independently, collaborating with several Romanian roasteries, and has
built a close relationship with producer Café Granja La Esperanza, whose coffee he chose for his winning
routine.
ROMANIAN BREWERS
CUP 2026
Mihnea's approach to the competition stage is methodical and research-based. For the 2026
Romanian Brewers Cup, he aimed to present coffee not simply as a beverage, but as the result of a controlled
scientific experiment in which each element serves a clear purpose in achieving the final result.
Central to his routine was flow rate. Mihnea paid close attention executing each pour: a higher rate for the bloom,
a moderate middle pour, and a slow final pour to minimize agitation and avoid over-extraction. This is
where the Pearl S real-time flow rate display was especially useful.
OPEN SERVICE RECIPE
Farm
Cerro Azul
(Café Granja La Esperanza)
Country
Colombia
Variety
Geisha
Process
Natural
Dose
12 g
Water
205 g
TDS
115 ppm
Temperature
93 °C
Time
2:20
Pours
0:00 – 50 g bloom
0:35 – pour up to 125 g
1:15 – pour up to 205 g
Aroma
Cherry, peach, caramel
Flavor
Cherry (all stages), plum (hot), apples, grapes (as it cools)
Finish
Long & pleasant; cherry (hot), black tea (as it cools)
Mouthfeel
Silky in all stages and goes from coating to juicy texture as it cools
COMPETITION GEAR SET
